1975-1983

Live Guide 1975-1983

Although this guide to Micki’s live sets in the early years of her career is as complete as currently possible, I would welcome further contributions and corrections. Feel free to comment or contact me via email. Also see my Live Venue Guide for locations and historical details on the many venues listed here.

The Runaways (1975)

8/12/75-Phast Phreddie’s House, Torrance, CA.
Setlist: (partial): Wild Thing/Come Now [Troggs covers, the latter introduced by Joan as ‘this is a song about fucking!]

8/x/75-The Whiskey, Los Angeles
Setlist: Rock N’Roll/Thunder/American Nights/Wild Thing/Secrets
Note: (Currently) the only live recording of the Michael-era Runaways. Could possibly be the 8/13/75 gig.

Notes: Contrary to the poster, the Runaways were the headline act. [Evelyn McDonnell, ‘Queens of Noise’.] A bootleg recording of this concert survives and was utilised in Evelyn McDonnell’s 2013 history ‘Queens of Noise’, which also notes that a dance contest was held during the set.

“Opening-act Slow Children’s problems weren’t quite so grave. A two-man, two-woman group fronted by a ragamuffin rock poet named Pal Shazar, Slow Children unleashed a torrent of stream-of-consciousness rock babble wrapped in cerebral pop riffs. The hero here is obviously Patti Smith and Shazar exudes a similar appealingly child-like gamine quality. Smith casts a big shadow that Shazar will have to work hard to transcend. However, now that rock’s visionary high priestess has become such a parody of herself, perhaps the time is right for someone else to step into those shoes. Shazar seems like she could do the job.”

(Opened for David Werner)

10/21/79 – Whisky A Go Go, Los Angeles, CA
Other Bands: Jules & The Polar Bears
Notes: Jules & The Polar Bears features Jules Shear, later to write ‘If She Knew What She Wants’, and David White, later a close friend and collaborator with Michael on several songs.

8/5/79 – Club 88, Los Angeles
Other Bands: Big Wow, Daily Planet, Robert Stoddard Band, Diana Harris and the Tuff Tones, Harold Way, the Model, Gary Myrick and the Figures, Whizzer etc:
Notes: Played as part of a ‘rock marathon at Club 88’, 2 p.m to 2 a.m. Proceeds were used to renovate the club’s stage facilities. [‘Rock Marathon at Club 88’, Los Angeles Times, 20/7/79]

Note: George B.George’s last Snakefinger gigs in May 1982. Michael joins (and departs) Snakefinger prior to beginning of his History of the Blues tour.

Apaches of Paris (1983)

4/23/83-Elk’s Club, Monrovia, CA
Setlist (partial): Be My Squeeze/Cinderella Au Go-Go/I’ll Never Lose This Feeling/Sometimes/Til The End of The Day
Notes: Opened by Tiger Lily. Til The End Of The Day is a Kinks cover sung by Michael.